Rein-fender.



UNITED STA'rEs P'ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN'HENRY NIENSTADT, LIBERTY, NEW YORK.

REIN-jFlENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,094, dated April 21, 1903.

Application filed September 11, 1902. Serial No. 122,978. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY NIEN- STADT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Liberty, in the county of Sullivan and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Rein-Fender, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to horse-trappings, my

more particular object being to produce a rein;

fender which will prevent the reins from being-caught by the horses tail. r

I will describe arein-fender embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing my invention in use. Fig. 2 is the plan of the principal parts properly connected together,

and Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan showing an auxiliary strap sometimes used with the other parts.

A longitudinal strap 1, widened somewhat at 2, is provided with, cross-straps 3 4, provided with buckles 5 6, whereby the strap 1 may be secured to a horses tail, as indicated in Fig. 1. This strap 1 is provided with a terminal loop 5 and buckle 6 for regulating the length of the loop, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 2. The buckle 61 engages the holes 7 for this purpose.

Threaded upon the loop 5 is a snap-hook 8, provided with a ring 9, which thus forms a terminal for the flexible strap 1. through the ring 9 is a strap 10, provided with terminal loops 11 12, which are rendered adjustable by means of buckles 13 14. To adjust the length of the strap 10, the ends 15 16 thereof are drawn to a greater or less extent through the buckles -13 14. The buckles are permanently secured in position by means of leather cars 17 secured, preferably, by rivets 18.

A leather eye 19 is mounted upon the flat portion 2 of the strap 1, and through this leather eye 19 a strap 20 is threaded, as indicated at the left in Fig. 2. The strap 20 is provided with a buckle 21 and with holes 22 for the purpose of encircling the crupper 28*,

' as indicated in Fig. 1.

Threaded "Thedevice is now ready for use.

A buckle 23 is socured upon the flat portion 2 and adjacent to the leather eye 19. r y

In cases where no crupper is. used the backstrap 24 of the harness is connected with an auxiliary strap 25, thestrap 2Q beingremoved from the threaded eye 19 and threadedtlirough an eye 26' upon the back-strap 24, as indicated at the left in Fig. 3. The tie-straps 27 29 may be placed in their ordinary location. The auxiliary strap 25 is provided with holes 28, which are engaged by the buckle 23 for the purpose of adjustment, whereby the strap 1 may be raised or lowered, as desired. The back-strap 30 may be bifurcated in the usual manner in order to engage the tie-strap 29. The Whiffletree is shown at 31 and is engaged at its respective ends by the loops 11 12 of the strap 10.

My in vention is used as follows: The strap 10 is connected, by means of the loops 11 12, with the respective ends of the whiffletree,

the ends 15 16 of the strap 10 being adjusted relatively to the buckles 13 14, thus adjusting the length of the strap 10 and allowing the same to be made as loose -,or "as. tight as desired. The strap 10 being threaded through the ring 9, the ring 9 may be caused to engage or disengage the snap-hook 8 at will. The structure shown in Fig. 2 is mounted in the manner indicated in Fig. 1, the strap 20 is tightened around the upper portion of the crupper 28*, the oross-straps 3 4 are secured inthe manner indicated,' and the snap-hook is brought into engagement with the ring 9. The horse may be driven in the usual manner, and his tail has a certain amount of freedom, but not enough freedom to enable the tail to engage the reins no matter in what position the latter may be placed. a

Where the'harness is of'a kind not provided with a crupper, the extreme end of the back-strap 24 is connected with the auxiliary strap 25 by means of the strap 20, Which is removed from the eye 19, as above indicated, and threaded through the eye 26 for the purpose. The buckle 23 at the extreme lefthand end portion of Fig. 2 is now connected with the strap 25 by means of the holes 28 and is adjusted in the manner above described.

The removal of the strap 20 from the eye 19 to the eye 26 renders the eye 19 idle, as indicated in Fig. 3.

It will be observed that my device is applicable to any harness ordinarily used. Its usein preventing runaways is obvious to persons familiar with horses, and the general effect of the device is to render driving more pleasant for the driver and the animal.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- '1. A rein-fender, comprising a longitudinal strap, fastenings for securing the same upon a horses tail, a ring mounted upon said strap and depending therefrom, means for adjusting the length of the portion of said strap intermediate of said ring and said fastenings for the purpose of adjusting said ring relatively to said horses tail, and a flexible member loosely engaging said ring and connected with some part of the vehicle-gear for limiting movements of the horses tail.

2. A rein-fender, comprising a longitudinal strap, fastenings for securing the same upon a horses tail, a ring mounted upon said strap and depending therefrom, a buckle mounted upon said strap for virtually lengthening and shortening the same, thereby adjusting said ring relatively to the horses tail, and a longitudinal member connected with the vehicle-gear and loosely threaded through said ring to prevent undue movements of the horses tail.

3. A rein-fender, comprising a longitudinal strap, means for securing the same upon a horses tail, a smaller strap connected with I said longitudinalstrapand crossing the same,

said smaller strap being provided with a buckle for securing said longitudinal strap upon the harness, fastenings connected with said longitudinal straps for securing the same to a horses tail, and mechanism connected with said longitudinal strap and with the vehicle-gear for limiting movements of the horse's tail.

4. A rein-fender, comprising a longitudinal strap, means for securing the same upon a horses tail, a smaller strap connected with said longitudinal strap and crossing the same, said smaller strap being provided with a buckle for securing said longitudinal strap upon the harness, fastenings connected with said longitudinal strap for securing the same to a horses tail, a ring mounted upon said longitudinal strap, means,controllable at will, for adjusting said ring relatively to the horses tail, and a longitudinal member loosely connected with said ring and with the vehiclegear.

5. A rein-fender, comprising a longitudinal strap, means for securing the same upon a horses tail, a flexible member loosely connected with said longitudinal strap, an additional strap for connecting said longitudinal strap with some part of the harness, said additional strap being removable, and a crossstrap for securing said longitudinal strap, or said additional strap, upon the harness whether said harness is provided with a crupper or not.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN HENRY NIENSTADT.

Witnesses:

WALTON HARRISON, EVERARD BoLToN MARSHALL. 

